I don't know if that's how the name Pearl came about, but having used the new trackpad, I can't speak for everyone out there, but the trackpad in my experience is far superior to the trackball.
Also, the trackball, collects dust, and gets stuck, and many users have complained about this with their BBs. I'm just hoping for a Flip 2 with all the Bold 9700 tech in it

Well, after 3 years, my trackball looks less like a pearl and more like a turd. They yellow into a not-so-nice looking ball after a while.

Although, I use Blingball to light it up and it takes the yellow look out when it does light up. I have it set to "white" which turns all the LEDs on and gives it more of an "opal" look with the various colors being more prominant depending on which way you look at it.

I know I can get a replacement ball cheap, but I just never got around to it.

I've got a Black Housing and a Black Pearl on order from ebay and I'm using the Precision 6 button dock theme that looks like the one used in the Bold, so will have sort of a Hybrid Pearl2 with the OS and Pearl of the original Pearl and the Housing look and theme of the Pearl2, a cheaper way to upgrade my new Pearl than buying the new one util I need a replacement that is. I agree with what people have said about the Pearl going yellowish after a while, that was the main reason for me ordering the Black Pearl, and it was also cheaper than the White Pearl that RIM use in the Pearl.

The ultimate marketing idea is shown below...I probably shoulda kept it a secret huh? Ah well screw it, I'll be rich some other day, some other way riiiiiight?

IMO, I'd offer two versions of the 9100;
9100C: One WITH "Classic" trackBALL (for all us nostalgic/new Pearl users, aka ME[just recieved mine August 2009)
and
9100: The "New" one with trackPAD (for all those who don't wanna/too lazy to clean phone every 3 months, also me [but control in BrickBreaker w/trackBALL>trackPAD, and lord knows I have to beat EVERYONE at BrickBreaker]

God, BB would make so much cash on that idea...I'd most likely even pay a PREMIUM FOR the "Classic" version [eg $30-50 more] as a "special edition" or something just to make it slightly more unique?